Lionel Messi's Inter Miami has qualified for the expanded FIFA Club World Cup 2025 as a host team after securing an all-time Major League Soccer (MLS) record for most points in a regular season and lifting the MLS Supporters' Shield for the first time in the club's history.
Inter Miami is the 31st team to be qualified for the expanded edition of the 32-team FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 and one final spot is remaining to be occupied by the CONMEBOL Libertadores 2024 champions after the final scheduled to be played on 30th November 2024.
The MLS outfit was announced to be included in the tournament by FIFA President Gianni Infantino following Miami's 6-2 victory over New England Revolution on 20th October 2024. Infantino announced:
“I have three things to tell you! The first, many congratulations for winning the Supporters Shield! Second, you will be qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025! And third, you will be opening and hosting the opening game at the Hard Rock Stadium in front of 65.000 people!"
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced that Inter Miami have qualified for the 2025 Club World Cup after winning the Supporters’ Shield.
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 20, 2024
They will also host the opening game at the Hard Rock Stadium 🏟️ pic.twitter.com/CdnPhz1Tp9
The redesigned FIFA Club World Cup for the 2025 edition
The FIFA Club World Cup will welcome significant expansion for the first time in its history. The tournament will now feature 32 teams, a notable increase from the previous format that hosted only seven teams. The newly structured tournament is scheduled to take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025, and will be held in various stadiums in the United States.
FIFA has distributed 12 spots to European clubs (UEFA), 6 spots to South American teams (CONMEBOL), and 4 spots each to clubs from North America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), Asia (AFC), and Africa (CAF). The last spot is reserved for Oceania (OFC).
The tournament will feature a group stage of eight groups consisting of 4 teams in each group playing a single game in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will earn qualification for the Round of 16 and after the quarter-finals and semi-finals are over, two teams will meet each other in the final set to be played on 13th July 2025.
The draw for the group division will take place in December 2024.
Teams qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
1. Europe (UEFA) | 12 teams
🚨🚨| OFFICIAL: The UEFA teams that are set to compete in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. pic.twitter.com/c5ihk05iVs
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) September 6, 2024
Chelsea FC (England): 2020/21 UEFA Champions League Winners
Real Madrid (Spain): 2021/22 and 2023/24 UEFA Champions League Winners
Manchester City FC (England): 2022/23 UEFA Champions League Winners
Bayern Munich (Germany): UEFA Ranking
Paris Saint-Germain (France): UEFA Ranking
Inter Milan (Italy): UEFA Ranking
FC Porto (Portugal): UEFA Ranking
SL Benfica (Portugal): UEFA Ranking
Borussia Dortmund (Germany): UEFA Ranking
Juventus FC (Italy): UEFA Ranking
Atletico Madrid (Spain): UEFA Ranking
FC Salzburg (Austria): UEFA Ranking
2. North America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF) | 4 teams
The four teams representing @Concacaf at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025...
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 2, 2024
🇲🇽 @Rayados
🇺🇸 @SoundersFC
🇲🇽 @clubleonfc
🇲🇽 @Tuzos pic.twitter.com/MmGC6C94yJ
CF Monterrey (Mexico): 2021 CONCACAF Champions Cup Winners
Seattle Sounders FC (USA): 2022 CONCACAF Champions Cup Winners
Club Leon (Mexico): 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup Winners
Pachuca (Mexico): 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup Winners
3. South America (CONMEBOL) | 6 teams
A FIFA divulgou o ranking dos times da América do Sul para o Mundial de Clubes de 2025.
— Goleada Info (@goleada_info) December 24, 2023
Palmeiras, Flamengo e Fluminense já estão garantidos pelos títulos da Libertadores.
Boca Juniors e River Plate estão se classificando via ranking.
📸 Divulgação pic.twitter.com/nEvuC2UqHU
Palmeiras (Brazil): 2021 CONMEBOL Libertadores Winners
Flamengo (Brazil): 2022 CONMEBOL Libertadores Winners
Flumiense (Brazil): 2023 CONMEBOL Libertadores Winners
River Plate (Argentina): CONMEBOL Ranking
Boca Juniors (Argentina): CONMEBOL Ranking
(One Spot remaining for 2024 CONMEBOL Libertadores Winners.)
4. Asia (AFC) | 4 teams
The four AFC teams headed to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 are...
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 25, 2024
🇰🇷 Ulsan HD FC
🇯🇵 Urawa Red Diamonds
🇦🇪 Al Ain
🇸🇦 Al Hilal#MCF25 pic.twitter.com/Z7HEzOqwh1
Al-Hilal SFC (Saudi Arabia): 2021 AFC Champions League Winners
Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan): 2022 AFC Champions League Winners
Al-Ain FC (UAE): 2023 AFC Champions League Winners
Ulsan HD FC (South Korea): AFC Ranking
5. Africa (CAF) | 4 teams
Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca and Esperance will participate in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) May 3, 2024
Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Inter, Chelsea, PSG, Palmeiras, Al Hilal, Flamengo, Dortmund, Juventus and more will also participate in the tournament. pic.twitter.com/gV8Vy8nlqm
Al Ahly FC (Egypt): 2020/21, 2022/23 and 2023/24 CAF Champions League Winners
Wydad Casablanca (Morocco): 2021/22 CAF Champions League Winners
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa): CAF Ranking
Esperance (Tunisia): CAF Ranking
6. Oceania (OFC) | 1 team
🤔 Who has qualified for the new FIFA Club World Cup in 2025? Who is still in the hunt for a place? We break it down...🧵
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) December 17, 2023
➡️ The OFC will be represented by Auckland City FC
Auckland City FC (New Zealand): OFC Ranking
6. Host Nation Representee | 1 team
Congratulations to @InterMiamiCF on qualifying for the @FIFACWC having secured the 2024 Supporters’ Shield!
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) October 20, 2024
Inter Miami will represent the United States as the host country club based on their outstanding & consistent 34-match @MLS campaign that saw them seal the title with two… pic.twitter.com/Tw7bLuO8Lv
Inter Miami (USA): MLS Supporters' Shield 2024 Winners.